Achieving Europe’s Energy & Climate Goals Through Local Action

Cities and regions are key in fighting climate change. The Cities Mission engages over 100 European cities to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. However, many of Europe’s 88,000 sub-national authorities lack the tools, resources, and knowledge to meet climate and energy targets, particularly in accessing funds and applying innovative financing and planning solutions. At the current pace, they risk missing crucial EU goals.

This interactive session will explore transition pathways, featuring insights from senior city and regional leaders. Participants will discuss practical ways to plan, fund, and implement the energy transition, helping shape policies and fostering collaborative learning.

This session is thus a crucial step in empowering local authorities with the knowledge and strategies needed to drive Europe’s sustainable energy future: we will present real-world examples from various European locales and build on the expertise and methodologies developed under the three projects IN-PLAN, Regio1st and PROSPECT+, demonstrating successful integration of energy and spatial planning and bridging the gap between theoretical policies and practical, actionable solutions.

Draft Agenda

14:45 Setting the scene: How to incorporate energy strategies into spatial planning and increasing the share of innovative financing in energy investments, and why (Giulia Pizzini, IEECP, drawing some conclusions from REGIO1st, Prospect+ and IN-PLAN)

14:50 Key-note speech from Luigi Lo Piparo, Partner at Technopolis Group and matchmaking and financial expert advisor for the Smart Cities Marketplace

15:00 Panel discussion: What still needs to change: lessons from local leaders and investors

• EE1st in local planning, implementation and review (Maria Belarmina Diaz Aguado, Asturian General Director of the Energy department, Faen, Asturia Region, Spain,)

• Overcoming regulatory barriers when using new financing models to increase citizens’ engagement (Mario Rajn, Mayor, Križevci)

• Experiences from Flanders and the Committee of the Regions (Andries Gryffroy, Member of Flemish Parliament, Flemish parliament / Committee of the regions, Vlaams Gewest, Belgium)

• Flemish experience on the Local energy and Climate Pact with a VITO cooperation (Elise Steyaert, VITO, Belgium)

• Experiences from the room

15:25 Conclusions